They locked eyes for two seconds before Xu Yuan suddenly let out a sneer.
Some true talents from great sects were like this, revered by those around them because of their innate abilities, never producing or managing anything, needing only to cultivate diligently under the protection of their sect elders.
When they went out for training, they always carried an air of purity, untouched by the dust of the world.
Ran Qingmo was like this, and now it seemed Tianyan was much the same.
They had some experience, but it was not enough to form a strategy capable of handling all situations.
In the outside world, these talents could count on their own formidable strength; almost no one would dare to disrespect them.
Now, however, after their cultivation plummeted in the Illusionary Realm, just a bit of teasing and sarcasm would reveal their character flaws.
They were not even as good as the little ice block at the beginning.
At least the little ice block wouldn't get frustrated and lose their temper.
Suppressing some doubts in his heart, Xu Yuan temporarily left Tianyan, who was closing her eyes to regulate her breath, and walked toward the altar in the inner hall of the transfer hall.
Using Origin Qi, he casually pulled over a meditation cushion to sit beside Tianyan, smiling squint-eyed at the girl whose cheeks were flush:
"Little sister…"
"I am older than you," Tianyan didn't like this nickname.
Xu Yuan's gaze was unabashedly fixed on her, "Oh?
Then how about you change into an 'elder sister' for me to see?"
Tianyan noticed the way he looked at her, fell silent for a second, her tone clear and cold:
"Vulgar."
Her expression was very cold, somewhat resembling the little ice block from before.
Unfortunately, the enticing flush on her face made her look as though she was playing hard to get.
Seeing this, Xu Yuan laughed:
"Vulgar?
Don't be so hasty.
Maybe in a little while you won't be able to restrain yourself and will end up begging me, no?"
"…"
The girl was stunned for a moment, her blush deepening:
"You can only take pleasure in outwitting me with words in this Illusionary Realm."
Xu Yuan looked at Tianyan's continuously heaving chest, chuckled lightly:
"Little sister, your ability to control your emotions seems to be lacking, huh?
And here I thought you were a Primordial."
"Shut up."
"Hehe…."
Xu Yuan smiled, preparing to continue provoking Tianyan, "You've followed me for so many days, I'm constantly worried that you'll kill me in the next second.
Now that we're in the Illusionary Realm, you don't even let me speak.
Isn't that a bit too domineering…"
"Xu Changtian."
Tianyan took a deep breath and called out softly, interrupting him.
Xu Yuan's brow furrowed slightly.
Tianyan's beautiful eyes narrowed as she stared at him, her words measured:
"You've been disturbing my meditation, what is your intention?"
"…."
Xu Yuan's eyes briefly hardened, but then he shrugged and said with a direct smile:
"Since you've already figured it out, why ask me?"
Tianyan's golden eyes held a hint of mockery:
"Your body is at least that of a Third Grade Great Master.
Are you actually afraid of me, a mere Fourth Grade Integration Body?"
Xuan Yuan shrugged nonchalantly, speaking without any baggage:
"Can't help it, you're too strong.
The techniques of the Yantian Art are too tricky; I have to be careful."
Although they were now in the same boat, Xu Yuan preferred to see a Tianyan who was half-dead rather than fully alive.
He had earlier taken "interest" by piercing her left shoulder with the blood marrow drill because he noticed that Tianyan now needed to use both hands to employ the Heavenly Word Mantra, so he had preemptively disabled one of her hands as a precaution.
But from the conversation just now, Tianyan had actually been fighting him while enduring the Enchantress Divine Flower and the Heavenly Seductive Poison.
This made the situation even more serious.
Xu Yuan was always very clear about his self-awareness.
He wasn't an unrivaled genius like Xu Changge and the main characters of the story, who were invincible among their peers even at Seventh Grade, let alone with the current Third Grade cultivation of this body.
Even though his body's cultivation was only that of a Third Grade Great Master in the Illusionary Realm, he was unable to use his cultivation technique and was unaccustomed to the sudden increase in power; being able to exert a mere thirty to forty percent of the abilities of this body would be pushing it.
While Tianyan was only a Fourth Grade Integration Body, she had previously been a Primordial.
Moreover, as a woman who could stand her ground against a First Grade Mortal Transcendence while still at Primordial, Tianyan was unmistakably a peerless genius like Xu Changge and Qin Mo.
Xu Yuan was genuinely scared that Tianyan would fully recover her powers and be able to kill him across grades.
Thinking this, Xu Yuan suddenly felt very craven.
A transmigrator such as himself, who couldn't surpass grades, was now even worried about being surpassed and killed by someone else.
After a few silent breaths,
Tianyan's beautiful eyes suddenly narrowed, she took a couple of short breaths, exhaling fragrantly:
"I think…
you could have a bit more confidence in yourself."
Because of the poison, her glance carried a hint of Su Meimo's charm, though it was unfortunately a size too small.
Xu Yuan straightforwardly shook his head:
"I don't want what you think, I want what I think.
This matter is non-negotiable."
Tianyan looked at Xu Yuan for several breaths, took a deep breath, and also held her ground:
"Xu Changtian, if you still want to get out of here, I must first remove the Enchantress Divine Flower and that woman's seductive poison.
We are supposed to cooperate, not be subordinate to one another."
"So there's nothing to discuss then?" Xu Yuan's eyes narrowed.
"That's the bottom line," Tianyan's gaze was equally fixed on Xu Yuan.
After staring at each other for several breaths,
Xu Yuan suddenly nodded:
"Fine."
Then standing up abruptly, his will-spirit surged forth to lock onto Tianyan, and he started to condense the blood marrow drill towards Tianyan's head with his raised hand.
At the same time,
Blood-red flames spontaneously erupted around Tianyan's meditating mat, cutting off all her paths of retreat!
Xu Yuan's gaze bore into Tianyan, the blood-colored bone spike spiraling in the palm of his hand almost touching Tianyan's forehead.
After a quiet breath,
Xu Yuan articulated each word,
"I'm asking you one more time, can we discuss this matter, or not?"
"…." Tianyan.
Silence.
The vast hall of transference, so quiet that only the sound of their breathing could be heard.
Xu Yuan's expression was calm.
Tianyan was also staring at him, her red lips slightly parted:
"I can't agree to your request…"
"Sigh….."
Xu Yuan let out a sigh.
Then,
"Boom!!"
Before Tianyan's words had finished, the bone spike in Xu Yuan's palm instantly shot out.
The sharp blood-colored spiral bone spike pierced directly into the brow of the girl in front of him, continued through the back of her head, and finally embedded deeply into the white jade floor!
The air was silent for a second, and Xu Yuan was about to sigh.
"Waah…."
A frail coughing sound came from a hundred meters behind Xu Yuan.
"…." Xu Yuan.
He looked back.
The sight that met his eyes was a girl with golden pupils, dressed in a crimson gown, appeared a hundred meters behind him, half-kneeling on the ground with blood staining her lips, with a pool of bright red in front of her.
Not dead?
Xu Yuan frowned and took another look in front of himself.
The body of the girl who was initially pierced through the head was slowly fading away, eventually disappearing into nothingness.
Seeing this, a strange look came over Xu Yuan's face.
His will-spirit had already confirmed that the apparition was the physical body, not an afterimage, and the feeling of the bone spike spiraling through the head was indeed transmitted back to him as real.
This Yantian Art…
could it be so bizarre?
With such a trump card, no wonder Tianyan had remained composed even when trapped in that red-clad woman's domain.
However, it seemed that the cost of using this life-replacing technique was quite heavy for Tianyan.
Of course, none of that mattered anymore.
Xu Yuan raised his hand, and the blood-colored bone spike previously embedded in the jade floor immediately flew back into his hand, once again aiming at the girl a hundred meters away, and he asked again:
"Last chance, is there anything to discuss?"
He was not joking in the slightest.
To leave this Illusionary Realm, he needed the information that Tianyan knew, but Tianyan didn't need him.
If she completely removed the seductive poison and regained her peak strength, and if she were to suddenly launch a sneak attack, he probably wouldn't be able to defend against it.
Although this place was an Illusionary Realm, given Tianyan's fear of death, dying here would most likely mean the end of one's soul in the outside world too.
This matter concerned his life; there was absolutely no room for negotiation.
"…."
The blush on Tianyan's beautiful face had already spread, and even a hint of dizziness appeared in her golden eyes, her breaths were faintly accompanied by gasps.
Obviously, the life-exchanging technique from before had seriously backfired on her, causing her Origin Qi to be chaotic and nearly incapable of suppressing the Enchantress Divine Poison within her body.
"Xu..
Xu Changtian, you..
um…
aren't you afraid…
of being trapped to death here?"
Xu Yuan said in a low voice:
"I am afraid, but I am more afraid of being directly killed by your sneak attack here.
If I'm trapped, my father can think of a way out.
If I die here, I might really be dead."
Tianyan looked at Xu Yuan, her voice a bit urgent and with a slight panting:
"I..
I have never..
never hurt you!"
Xu Yuan chuckled lowly:
"But I've heard that Jiatiange has only two attitudes towards those who can't be predicted: to kill or to recruit."
"…" Tianyan was silent.
She thought of the Saint remnant soul that could use the Heavenly Word Mantra.
Traitor.
Seeing Tianyan no longer speaking, Xu Yuan lifted the blood marrow drill in the palm of his hand, smiling and said:
"The Yantian Art, as Heaven's Watchtower Master's Cultivation Technique, is indeed profound.
I wonder how many more times you can use the move you just did?"
Tianyan remained silent.
Xu Yuan smiled, spoke softly:
"I'll give you ten seconds for a final consideration."
"Not..
um…
no need…"
The girl clenched her teeth and stood up, her slender, straight legs fitting tightly together:
"I, I agree…"
Upon hearing her words, Xu Yuan casually squeezed, dissolving the blood marrow drill, and with a step forward, he swiftly moved close to Tianyan, looking at the girl with a beaming smile:
"Wouldn't it have been better if you were like this from the start?
Tell me your plan."
Tianyan didn't speak immediately, silent for a few moments, then suddenly said:
"Right now, I…
can barely suppress it anymore."
"What?"
"The poison of the Enchantress Divine Flower and the seductive poison!"
"Oh…
you see, I just said you might be asking me for help in a bit."
"…."
Tianyan gasped several times:
"Stop…
stop wasting time, help me."
"..."
The air suddenly became quiet,
After a pause, Xu Yuan spoke with slight hesitation:
"How…
do you plan for me to help?"
Tianyan bit her lip, her seductive eyes giving him a fiery glare:
"Don't be so vulgar!
Use..
use Origin Qi, help me…
help me clear my meridians, my…
my body's Origin Qi is too chaotic to operate, help me suppress the Origin Qi."
Xu Yuan, upon hearing this, understood, and he didn't refuse.
He summoned a cushion of Origin Qi with a wave of his hand, gesturing for Tianyan to sit down.
Tianyan, with her cheeks flushed, silently sat down.
Xu Yuan sat cross-legged on the jade ground behind Tianyan, raised his hand and gently placed it on the girl's back, feeling the heat of her body temperature as he was about to manipulate the Origin Qi…
"Mmm…"
"..." Xu Yuan.
///135////
"
"…"
"…"
"Can you stop moaning?"
"…"
Tianyan fell silent for a moment, her voice trembling slightly.
"I…
I…
didn't do it on purpose…"
The Enchantress Divine Flower and its charming poison made her body extremely sensitive at the moment.
Xu Yuan took a deep breath to calm his own restless conscience and said softly,
"If you keep moaning and disturb my mind, don't blame me for whatever happens."
Tianyan's golden eyes were misty with tears, and she bit her lip without speaking, simply nodding silently.
Several breaths passed in silence, and Xu Yuan settled his heart.
Although his own meridians had been entered countless times by Ran Qingmo in the secret chamber beneath the Hanging Cliff, this was his first time entering another person's meridians.
Using Origin Qi to heal others was something Xu Yuan had learned, as the Blood Essence Meteoring Art contained relevant records, but it was still merely theoretical.
Normally, if Origin Qi wished to enter another's internal meridians, unless the cultivation gap was extremely large, it would be almost impossible to do so forcefully.
However, if the owner of the body willingly opened up, that would be another matter.
To use Origin Qi to enter another's body, there were only two entry points: one was the Dantian in the lower abdomen, and the other was the Huaiyuan Acupoint on the back.
Xu Yuan gently placed his hand on Tianyan's back, controlling the Origin Qi as it slowly entered her body.
The meridians were tight and narrow but the inner walls were warm and smooth.
As the Origin Qi penetrated little by little, Xu Yuan soon found that Tianyan had not deceived him.
At this moment, the Origin Qi within her body was rampantly chaosing through the meridians, and some of the inner walls of the meridians had begun to show signs of slight rupture.
Deviation.
Xu Yuan was all too familiar with this term, no wonder Tianyan had actively sought his help.
Upon seeing this, he immediately controlled his own Origin Qi to gather and envelop those completely chaotic streams of Origin Qi, guiding them to stabilize according to the methods recorded in the Blood Essence Meteoring Art.
Feeling the entrance of Xu Yuan's Origin Qi, Tianyan cooperated by trying her best to control the out-of-control Origin Qi along the path Xu Yuan was guiding.
Gathering each meridian one by one, smoothing out each acupuncture point.
As the process continued, Xu Yuan's brows knitted tighter and tighter.
He discovered that the Enchantress Divine Flower's poison had by now seeped into every corner of Tianyan's body.
What's worse, the Origin Qi inside Tianyan's body also carried faint traces of the flower's medicinal effects.
As Xu Yuan continually guided Tianyan's Origin Qi, this medicinal power had begun to transmit through her Qi to his mind.
Tingling sensations and a moment of dizziness.
Upon seeing this, Xu Yuan's pupils slightly contracted.
The effects of the Enchantress Divine Flower were so potent that simply using Origin Qi to heal Tianyan's meridians could affect him.
Fortunately, Origin Qi could be severed.
Presently, the Origin Qi within his body surged like tides, and the controlled Qi could simply be cut off.
This, however, made Xu Yuan realize the terror of the Enchantress Divine Flower; no wonder it could even overturn a Saint.
As thoughts flickered by, Xu Yuan suddenly furrowed his brows,
He thought of a problem,
The Enchantress Divine Flower was supposed to target the Will-spirit, wasn't it?
Why then was there Enchantress Divine Flower poison inside Tianyan's body?
While continuing to guide and circulate the energy, Xu Yuan asked softly,
"Tianyan, why is there Enchantress Divine Flower poison in your body?"
Tianyan bit her lip and remained silent.
Seeing this, Xu Yuan immediately halted his actions,
"No response?
Then you can stabilize the Origin Qi yourself."
Tianyan took a deep breath, her voice trembling faintly,
"I have already explained before, we…
are currently in a soul body state."
Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan realized and quickly took the opportunity to ask,
"Then why can you use the Yantian Art?"
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Tianyan suppressed the chaotic thoughts in her heart and explained softly,
"The Soul Chapter of the Yantian Art can help me withstand part of the Illusionary Realm's power, the same goes for the Enchantress Divine Flower."
"…."
Xu Yuan silently stayed alert in his mind, pondering for a moment before he continued to sort out the chaotic Origin Qi for her.
Time passed by, minute by second.
About half an hour later.
Xu Yuan saw that the rampage of Origin Qi within Tianyan's body had nearly ceased, leaving only the milky Origin Qi flowing obediently through her meridians, then he slowly withdrew his own Origin Qi from her body.
Of course, before leaving, Xu Yuan left a little "souvenir" inside of her.
Removing his hand from Tianyan's straight and stiff jade back, Xu Yuan exhaled a long breath:
"All right."
Tianyan also slowly opened her eyes, the fog in her pupils had already dissipated, though her cheeks remained somewhat flushed.
After a brief circulation of her cultivation technique, she turned her head to look back at him and asked with a frown:
"What is the meaning of the Origin Qi you left inside of me?"
Xu Yuan shrugged:
"Consider it a precaution."
He didn't know any prohibitive types of spells, so he had to resort to the most basic and crude methods.
By embedding a portion of his Origin Qi within her, if Tianyan made any suspicious moves, he could detonate it directly.
However, compared to those permanent prohibitions, this crude method had significant drawbacks.
It required Tianyan's active cooperation; without her cooperation, his Origin Qi couldn't be squeezed in.
"…"
Hearing Xu Yuan's words, Tianyan didn't speak and stared at Xu Yuan with her beautiful eyes, seemingly a little angry yet also holding back laughter.
She knew Xu Changtian was wary of her power, but she didn't expect this bastard to go to such extreme measures to limit her.
First, he used that bloody spiral spike to pierce through her left arm, limiting her use of the Heavenly Word Mantra.
Then he didn't allow her to regulate her breath to remedy the effects of the Enchantress Divine Flower and the Charm Poison from the heavenly realm, forcing her to always be distracted to suppress it.
Now, shamelessly, he went as far as implanting a group of Origin Qi within her body.
Even if she wouldn't actively refine this implanted group of Origin Qi, it would dissipate over time bit by bit.
In other words,
This bastard was most likely planning to have her open her meridians every so often so he could implant a new group of Origin Qi within her.
With a flicker in her eyes, Tianyan eventually let out a resigning sigh.
After circulating Origin Qi for a few breaths, Tianyan then cast out two Heavenly Word Mantras with one hand:
"Soul Fortification."
"Inner Calm."
As her words fell, the flush on Tianyan's face immediately dissipated, and her skin returned to its translucent snowy whiteness.
Seeing this, Xu Yuan immediately frowned slightly.
Tianyan gave him an annoyed look and said:
"This is merely a suppression."
Xu Yuan smiled and nodded as if he believed her: "I see."
With a soft snort, Tianyan turned around and walked towards the outside of the palace.
Xu Yuan said nothing, watching her slim figure from behind, then abruptly burst forth with all his speed, flashing to Tianyan's side and pinching her arm.
"Mmm…"
The girl immediately let out a cry of surprise, and a red blush quickly climbed once again onto her snowy cheeks.
The Charm Poison from the Enchantress Divine Flower and the heavenly realm was affecting her body every moment.
Glaring back at him as she caught her breath, she said softly:
"Xu Changtian, what do you think you're doing?"
A suitably embarrassed smile appeared on Xu Yuan's face as he said:
"Just verifying what you said."
Tianyan clenched her fists tightly, took a deep breath, and forcibly restrained herself from confronting him.
Seeing her reaction, Xu Yuan shrugged and quickly added:
"I remember the effect of the Enchantress Divine Flower lasts about a month, let's discuss how we can get out of here first."
He was reminding her that their time of mutual trust lasted only one month.
Continuing to walk forward, Tianyan responded:
"It's going to be troublesome.
We need to go to the deepest part of this Illusionary Realm first.
There should be a way out there…"
Xu Yuan listened to Tianyan's explanation and followed behind her.
In a short while, the two of them arrived at the entrance to the hall of transmitting teachings.
Looking outward,
White cranes soared, mist curled around, and the hidden jade buildings among the mountains and forests under the sunlight radiated a mysterious halo.
Disciples from the myriad Sects shuttled back and forth, presenting a spectacular scene of a flourishing celestial Sect!
///136///
This palace cluster seemed to be a place within the Qionghua Sect where teachings were imparted, and the hall for transmitting cultivation techniques was the central hub of this realm.
Below the hundred-meter staircase lay a vast, flat square, connecting various lecture halls around it.
From this high vantage point, one could see many disciples clad in light cyan apparel walking under the eaves of these halls.
In groups of two or three, chatting and laughing boisterously, it was exceptionally lively.
Xu Yuan did not hurry down.
With his profound cultivation, even from a distance, he could still hear their conversations when he focused his Spirit Condensation.
The content was trivial and complicated.
Some were discussing the mundane aspects of life, some were talking about cultivation techniques and secret arts, and there were even some male disciples gathered together discussing matters related to the fair female disciples and their spiritual puppets.
All sorts of people, displaying the myriad forms of human life, as if he were truly in the midst of the flourishing Qionghua Sect from tens of thousands of years ago!
Xu Yuan hesitated slightly and transmitted his voice to the girl beside him:
"Tianyan, is this mountain gate really just an illusion?"
Everything felt too real.
Tianyan glanced at him and said softly:
"Of course it's an illusion.
Everything within the Illusionary Realm of Self-Forgetfulness is very real."
"The Illusionary Realm of Self-Forgetfulness?"
Xu Yuan frowned and asked:
"If we are both conscious, isn't this supposed to be the Illusionary Realm of True Self?"
The difference between the Illusionary Realm of Self-Forgetfulness and the Illusionary Realm of True Self was like the difference between lucid dreams and hazy dreams when ordinary people sleep.
Tianyan's gaze was calm as she replied softly:
"This is indeed the Illusionary Realm of Self-Forgetfulness.
I'm uninfluenced by it because of the Soul Chapter of the Yantian Art.
As for you…"
At this point, she looked him up and down for a few breaths and shook her head:
"I'm not sure why you're unaffected by it."
Having said this,
Tianyan's golden pupils reflected a hint of regret.
If Xu Yuan were mired in self-forgetfulness, she could have done whatever she wished and completely anchored him to her during the time spent in this illusion.
Xu Yuan, upon hearing her, had roughly formed his own conjectures.
It seemed that his immunity to self-forgetfulness was likely due to the influence of the cherry blossom mark on his forehead.
Tianyan did not intend to delve deeper into the matter, as she knew that probing would yield her no answers from this rascal.
After a pause,
she gazed at the Qionghua disciples moving about below, continuing to speak to herself:
"Although the Illusionary Realm of Self-Forgetfulness is real, these people will only proceed according to the future set by the caster and will not react to us."
As she spoke, Tianyan's cool voice carried a hint of emotion:
"They are merely replaying certain scenes from ten thousand years ago before our eyes."
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After finishing, Tianyan shook her head gently and began walking down the stairs.
"…"
Xu Yuan remained silent.
He had thought that these long-gone disciples of the sect would react to their actions just like real people.
But what Tianyan said made sense.
In this mountain gate, there were tens of thousands of disciples; if all had their own consciousness, then who would be controlling these conscious beings?
This wasn't the past world with its artificial unintelligence AI.
Nevertheless, Xu Yuan still carefully extended his Will-spirit to verify Tianyan's claim.
The method of verification was simple.
If he were to openly use his Will-spirit to probe a disciple below and they showed no reaction, then what Tianyan said would be true; if there was a reaction, the opposite would be true.
After a few breaths,
Xu Yuan, with a grim face, called out to Tianyan:
"Tianyan."
"Hmm?" Tianyan stopped in her tracks.
"Are you certain this is the Illusionary Realm of Self-Forgetfulness?"
"Yes."
"And you're also certain that people in the Illusionary Realm of Self-Forgetfulness won't react to our actions?"
"Of course."
आयुर्वेद विशेषज्ञ ने बताया डायबिटीज खत्म करने का राज़
यह प्रोस्टेटाइटिस और बार-बार पेशाब आने का दुश्मन है
Tianyan's eyes flickered with confusion, not quite understanding why Xu Yuan would suddenly ask this.
Xu Yuan ignored her and, looking apologetic, bowed his hands in salute towards the distance, transmitting a message.
Because of the Yantian Art, Tianyan heard what Xu Yuan said:
"Apologies, no offense intended."
With a puzzled heart, she followed his gaze, and her golden pupils slightly narrowed.
She saw that a young man in plain clothing walking alone in the palace square had paused and was looking in their direction with a questioning look.
After hearing Xu Yuan's sincerely apologetic transmission, the young man hesitated for a moment, nodded, and transmitted back with a bow:
"There is no offense taken, Brother Jing He, it's a trivial matter."
Xu Yuan's heart tightened.
Even with a different appearance, this Qionghua Sect disciple recognized him as the "Jing He" from ten thousand years ago.
It should be the Jing He from Yuchu Jing He.
Yet immediately after, Xu Yuan turned to gaze at Tianyan with a meaningful look.
Witnessing this scene, Tianyan fell silent, her thoughts churning.
This illusion was completely different from the Illusionary Realm of Self-Forgetfulness she knew!
In silence,
Xu Yuan patted her wounded left shoulder forcibly, keeping a calm face as he walked downwards.
Tianyan snapped back to reality with a pang of pain, took a deep breath, and hurriedly followed.
This place was crowded, not suitable for discussing such matters.
As the two walked into the vast square below,
the male and female disciples around them all offered them a nod of recognition.
Some even whispered to their companions about "Xu Yuan."
Thanks to these exchanges, Xu Yuan roughly understood Jing He's status within the Qionghua Sect.
A peerless prodigy among the second generation of disciples, a prominent figure of the sect, and with a childhood sweetheart as beautiful as a Heavenly Immortal, presumably the "Yuchu."
As he passed by, Xu Yuan observed everything around him and listened to all sides, silently gathering information about his identity from the chatter of those nearby, after all, he had no memory of himself in this illusion.
///137///
Upon reaching one of the exits of the Mintian Academy, Xu Yuan was greeted by a group of splendidly dressed young masters and ladies.
Four men and three women.
Their garments were completely distinct from those of ordinary disciples, all wearing luxurious brocade robes and cloud-stepping boots, exuding strong auras, likely all geniuses from the Qionghua Sect.
This group clearly recognized "Xu Yuan," and upon seeing him, they immediately approached him with beaming smiles.
"Jing He, we've finally found you, I heard from my father that Brother Li has returned from his travels today, and he's currently in the Qionghua Hall."
"Heh heh, it's been more than a year since we've seen him, and a few of us are planning to host a welcoming banquet for him tonight at Haiwei Residence down the mountain, Bai Fan, this lad, is footing the bill."
"You avoided us last time during Tang Jiuqing's birthday, you can't skip out again today, my good friend, every time it's only you who's absent."
The several people gathered around him, each taking turns to speak, nearly carried Xu Yuan away with them.
Xu Yuan thought to himself this could be a good place to gather information, but he hesitated.
After all, he didn't know the surnames of the people in front of him, and speaking about the past could give him away.
While hesitating,
one of the girls dressed in light blue gauze, exposing her midriff, suddenly said with a laugh:
"Right, Big Brother Jing He, why don't you bring Tianyan with you?"
"…."
Xu Yuan's gaze faltered.
It seemed the girl in blue had mentioned something astonishing.
He turned his wooden expression to glance at Tianyan, who had been keeping silent beside him.
Tianyan's beautiful eyes blinked, she cleared her throat and immediately said with a smile:
"I have no objections."
"Did you hear that?
Tianyan has agreed, you can't use her as an excuse to decline anymore."
"It's settled then, we'll meet here at mintian Academy at the fourth watch tonight, don't be absent."
With that, the group, as if fearing Xu Yuan might refuse, quickly dispersed.
"….."
Watching these fair-weather friends walk away,
Xu Yuan remained silent, not rushing to ask questions, and continued on his way.
Passing through the entrance of the academy, what met his eyes were several winding, twisting mountain paths.
Up the mountain, down the mountain, three paths lay ahead.
Stone steps vanished into the lush forest, sunlight filtered through the canopy casting patches of light, with the sound of cicadas and birds resounding incessantly and the distinct scent of earth permeating the forest air, a secluded path leading into the depths.
Xu Yuan chose one path and proceeded, with Tianyan silently following behind.
A silent and oppressive atmosphere spread between the two.
Eventually, the two stopped by a mountain stream laden with bird songs and floral fragrances.
On either side of the stream, green grass spread out, and a quiet pavilion stood solemnly surrounded by trees in a clearing.
Xu Yuan paused, pointing to the pavilion to suggest they rest there.
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Inside the pavilion with stone tables and chairs, the mountain breeze passed through, causing their hair to flutter gently.
Xu Yuan took a seat on the stone bench, not speaking, just fixing his gaze on Tianyan.
Under his watch,
after a moment,
Tianyan took the initiative to speak softly:
"The disciples calling me by my name must be because part of my Celestial Fates Divine Soul was torn when I was forcibly dragged into this Illusionary Realm, causing some of my will-spirit to mix with it."
"What do you mean?"
"You don't even know that?"
"Stop the nonsense."
"..."
Tianyan pursed her lips and, without hiding anything, continued softly:
"Simply put, because of the Yantian Art, my will-spirit can resist most of the soul-bewitching illusions in the world."
Xu Yuan, upon hearing this, showed a trace of contemplation in his eyes.
He recalled the scene where Tianyan had effortlessly found the exit in that soul-bewitching corridor.
Guessing his thoughts, Tianyan bent her eyes into a smile and said to him:
"The process of being ensnared by the Illusionary Realm has steps, like this Forget-Me Illusionary Realm we're currently in."
"The first step of dragging someone into the illusion is to temporarily erase their independent will, because only in this way can they be thrust into an identity within the illusion without being aware, endlessly sinking into it."
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"My will-spirit allows me to stay conscious, so from the very first step of being drawn in, I have been trying to break free.
Even though I ultimately failed, I still managed to damage part of the illusion."
"My current identity and state are probably a consequence of that red-clothed woman patching up this portion of the damaged illusion."
"…"
Xu Yuan listened carefully and suppressed the surging thoughts in his heart.
The efficacy of the Yantian Art was terrifying, capable of resisting even the illusions of the Enchantress Divine Sakura Tree?
Taking a deep breath, Xu Yuan asked softly:
"This illusion…
what did you damage?"
Tianyan looked up and pressed her lips together, smiling playfully:
"It's probably this identity of mine now, seems to be called 'Wang Yuchu.' I initially thought that by damaging this identity, I could regain my original strength in this illusionary world, but unfortunately, I failed…"
Xu Yuan listened in silence, then asked the question he was most concerned about:
"Alright, then why do characters in this illusionary realm react to our actions?"
Tianyan shook her little head and spoke softly:
"I don't know; this illusionary realm is beyond my understanding.
"It's as if it has become a world of its own, and logically, no one's Soul Power could sustain such an immense expenditure."
In this world, everything had its own mechanisms; it wasn't something you could conjure just by clapping your hands and calling for it.
After pondering for a moment, Xu Yuan reminded her:
"This is an illusion created by the Enchantress Sakura Spirit."
"Ah?"
Tianyan was obviously stunned: "The Enchantress Divine Sakura Tree cannot have a spirit."
Such divine trees were always under strict surveillance by the Sects, and even if they were used to refine spirits, they would never be allowed to have their own consciousness.
///138////
Xu Yuan was also stunned for a moment.
He had thought that Tianyan knew about this:
"You've been fighting for so long, didn't you know that the red-clothed woman is the Enchantress Divine Tree Spirit?"
"….." Tianyan.
The illusionary realm created by the Enchantress Divine Tree Spirit…..
That being the case, no wonder that crazy red-clothed woman, who was merely a soul body, could use the Dao Field, and no wonder she could induce the Enchantress Divine Flower within her body at the last moment…..
Thinking of this,
Tianyan suddenly looked up at Xu Yuan, clenching her small fists:
"Xu Changtian, you knew that woman was the Enchantress Divine Tree Spirit and you still fed me the Enchantress Divine Flower?"
"…"
After a second of eye contact,
Xu Yuan coughed slightly, a bit awkwardly:
"Cough…
She was crazy, wasn't she?
Who knew she would regain her senses in the end…."
Having said that,
Xu Yuan directly steered the conversation back to the main issue, saying:
"This illusionary realm created by the Enchantress Divine Tree Spirit, do you have a way to get out?"
Tianyan's chest heaved for a moment as she pondered, then calmed down:
"If it's an illusionary realm created by the Enchantress Divine Tree Spirit, then indeed I temporarily don't know how to get out, because there's no record of it."
Xu Yuan frowned:
"So, does that mean our cooperation comes to an end here?"
All the basis for their cooperation lay on the premise that Tianyan was able to lead him out.
However, Tianyan did not waver much and simply said:
"Actually, you should be glad you didn't manage to kill me in that great hall just now.
The characters within this Illusionary Realm will take corresponding actions based on our behavior.
If you had killed me, you would have naturally caught their attention too.
I think it's about time our relationship changed."
As she spoke,
Tianyan gave him a charming smile:
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"After all, I am now your childhood sweetheart, Jing He."
"….."
Xu Yuan fixed his gaze on Tianyan, his eyes flickering uncertainly.
Tianyan just smiled sweetly at him.
Sunlight fell across the upturned eaves of the pavilion, casting its glow on her fair skin, looking very beautiful.
After a quiet few moments,
Xu Yuan suddenly smiled gently.
Seeing his smile, a trace of unease unexpectedly rose in Tianyan's heart.
"Tianyan, do you know?"
Xu Yuan asked with a smiling gaze, "You incited Ran Qingmo to capture me, and during that journey, she taught me something.
Do you want to know what it is?"
"…"
Tianyan's body slightly retreated:
"I don't want to know, we should still….."
"No, I think you want to know."
आयुर्वेद विशेषज्ञ ने बताया डायबिटीज खत्म करने का राज़
यह प्रोस्टेटाइटिस और बार-बार पेशाब आने का दुश्मन है
Xu Yuan shook his head, and as he raised his hand, Origin Qi surged, pulling the girl opposite him through the air to him, looking into her eyes:
"Not being able to kill doesn't mean not being able to act."
"Since we are childhood sweethearts, and we are in the Qionghua Sect, such a romantically themed order, hehe….."
With that,
he gently grabbed the girl's supple waist.
Upon contact, a flush of red immediately appeared on Tianyan's pale cheeks.
Because of the Enchantress Divine Flower and the Heavenly Desire Seductive Poison, even with the Heavenly Word Mantra and the Soul Chapter of the Yantian Art suppressing the drug's effects, she was still on the verge of ignition at any moment.
Tianyan's eyes remained clear:
"Xu Changtian, I advise you not to do this."
Xu Yuan didn't speak, simply picked up the blushing Tianyan and sat her on his lap, casually asking:
"Tianyan, before you came to me, didn't you investigate my past?"
"…."
Tianyan's beautiful eyes with golden pupils slightly contracted, suddenly recalling that the man in front of her was a lustful devil.
Her heart slightly stirred…..
Her voice was cold, but her pace of speech quickened:
"You..
You let go of me, I just don't know how to get out of this illusionary realm for the time being, as long as it is an illusionary realm, there must be a source.
Once we find the source, I can find a way to break the illusion….."
"Heh."
Xu Yuan chuckled lightly, not further humiliating her, and let go of the red-faced Tianyan:
"This is the last time, let's talk about tonight's elegant gathering….."
///139///
The stream rippled gently, birds sang amid the fragrant blossoms, and the cicadas continued their drone.
An agreeable murmur arose above the clearing encircled by trees.
"Soul Fortification."
Within the pavilion,
once released, Tianyan immediately closed her eyes, circulated her energy with one hand for a few seconds, and cast the Heavenly Word Mantra to stabilize the poison pulled from the Enchantress Divine Flower and the Heavenly Seductive Poison.
As the sound faded,
the girl slowly opened her eyes, her golden pupils filled with disdain as if she were looking at a pervert:
"You really are shameless."
Xu Yuan responded with a slight smile, "Thank you for the compliment."
"No need to thank me.
If you'd like to hear more, I can continue," Tianyan's beautiful eyes narrowed, briefly shining with a flicker of killing intent.
"…."
Xu Yuan shrugged his shoulders, indicating she could go on.
He had seen the killing intent in Tianyan's eyes.
Xu Yuan did not doubt Tianyan's desire to break free from these shackles, nor did he doubt her wish to tear him to pieces.
However, an enemy's insults are the best praise, so he always liked to take them in full.
It was clear to him that Tianyan was keen to escape his constraints.
With enough information to ensure her own life safety, no one would be willing to remain at the mercy of another, let alone someone as proud and talented as Tianyan.
Fortunately, it seemed the Washboard Saintess placed great value on her chastity.
The Enchantress Divine Flower had not completely controlled Tianyan's mind, but it had kept her on the brink of ignition.
In the month before the effects of the Enchantress Divine Flower wore off, Tianyan was likely to be somewhat more docile.
But speaking of tonight's gathering…
The gathering, especially those of the Qionghua Sect,
was something Xu Yuan was very curious about.
But facing so many acquaintances at the outset, the risk of exposure without any memory is too great.
His understanding of Jing He was limited to a phrase heard in Cang Yuan, "One becomes the Sakura, the other a leech," and he knew next to nothing else, not even clear on the Cultivation Technique the other party practiced.
Xu Yuan fell silent for a moment before steering the conversation back on track:
"Let's cancel tonight's gathering."
Tianyan, able to prioritize, replied in a low voice after calming down completely:
"We need to gather some information about this ancient era; the gathering of these Sect offsprings tonight presents an excellent opportunity."
"But the risks are also significant," Xu Yuan disagreed.
Without a second thought, Tianyan rebutted, "We are already deep in this bizarre Illusionary Realm.
Tell me, what activity doesn't carry a great risk now?"
"Currently, we are without memories; at the very least, we can learn some basic information from those regular disciples."
Previously, by eavesdropping on the conversations of ordinary disciples, Xu Yuan discovered that both he and Tianyan held high status among the second generation disciples of the Qionghua Sect.
With this status, they could glean a lot of information.
"Basic information?" Tianyan sighed, "What do you think those low-level disciples could know?
Only the geniuses of the Sects and the children of the high ranks possess the knowledge we seek.
You heard their conversation earlier; Jing He was clearly not a talkative person.
Just speak less at the gathering."
Xu Yuan remained silent for a few breaths, then hesitantly said:
"Mmm…
what exactly is it that we want to know now?"
"…."
The air suddenly grew quiet,
Tianyan looked at Xu Yuan as if he were an idiot for two seconds:
"Naturally, we need to find the origin of this Illusionary Realm."
Unfazed by Tianyan's gaze, Xu Yuan countered:
"What do you mean by 'the source'?
The Sect Master's bedroom?
Or the back mountain of the Sect?"
Within Cang Yuan, the deepest parts of the Qionghua Palace map were these two locations, but the source of the Illusionary Realm clearly couldn't be either place.
Upon hearing this, Tianyan let out a faint sigh:
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"This place is an Illusionary Realm created by the spirit of the Enchantress Divine Sakura Tree, so naturally, the source is likely related to the Enchantress Divine Sakura Tree."
Xu Yuan's expression turned odd as he pondered:
"You wish to find the Enchantress Divine Sakura Tree?"
Tianyan nodded, pointing in one direction, and whispered:
"Of course, but the Enchantress Divine Sakura Tree hasn't appeared at this point in time."
Xu Yuan likewise glanced in that direction.
The sense of direction isn't too bad, much better than Big Ice Lump's, that is indeed the Enchantress Leech Lake.
However, hearing this, Xu Yuan's gaze became even more peculiar.
Tianyan continued to analyze on her own:
"I want to make contact with those people precisely because of this issue.
Before the guardian spirit trees like the Enchantress Divine Sakura Tree mature, the Sects would secretly protect them.
The lower-level disciples have no chance of coming into contact with them, only the core disciples…."
"Alright."
Xu Yuan still couldn't help interrupting her analysis.
Tianyan stopped mid-sentence, staring at him.
Xu Yuan also pointed in the direction of the Enchantress Leech Lake and asked:
"Are you certain the 'source' of this Illusionary Realm is that Enchantress Divine Sakura Tree?"
"The probability is high."
"…."
Xu Yuan let out a long sigh, leaning against the stone balustrade of the pavilion, tilting his head back to look at the clear blue sky:
"Then there's no need to look for it, we're probably not getting out for the time being."
"…"
Tianyan stared at Xu Yuan without speaking, sitting quietly, waiting for him to explain.
Xu Yuan was silent for a while before pointing at Tianyan's body.
Tianyan looked somewhat puzzled.
Xu Yuan suddenly said:
"You are the Enchantress Divine Sakura Tree.""What?"
"The identity of 'Wang Yuchu' that you destroyed earlier is the spirit of the Enchantress Divine Tree."
The pavilion fell silent, surrounded by the chirping of cicadas and birds, with a gentle breeze rustling through the trees.
Tianyan's mouth opened into an 'o' shape.
Xu Yuan waved his hand in front of her eyes and sighed:
"Are you sure there must be a 'source' in this Illusionary Realm?"
Tianyan came to her senses, nodded, her clear voice carrying a weight;
"Both you and I are here now, so this Illusionary Realm involves techniques linked to our will-spirits.
The caster must surely leave a 'source' within the Illusionary Realm to maintain the connection between us."
After listening, Xu Yuan hesitantly asked:
"Since this is an illusion created by the spirit of the Enchantress Divine Tree, could it differ from ordinary illusions?
Could the method to break it also be different?"
Tianyan frowned, staring at Xu Yuan, and emphasized each word:
"What I just explained is the fundamental principle of Soul Power operation."
"….." Xu Yuan.
The two fell silent for a long time.
They were stuck, the progress between the two of them for breaking out of the illusion came to a direct halt.
Because the source couldn't be found.
…
…
At night, the hour of You.
Haiwei Residence.
Xu Yuan and Tianyan still attended the gathering of core disciples from the Qionghua Sect.
If they needed to stay in this Illusionary Realm for a lengthy period, they truly needed to gather a lot of information.
The cultivation technique practiced by Jing He, the interpersonal relationships between them, their specific identities within their Sects.
Moreover, they must clarify whether there is an Enchantress Divine Sakura Tree in the Qionghua Sect now, even if it's just an Enchantress Divine sapling.
Including Xu Yuan and Tianyan, there were a total of eleven people at the gathering.
Six males and five females, they had booked an entire floor's elegant chamber at Haiwei Residence.
The people who came were at least Fourth Grade to start with, belonging to the core of the core of the Qionghua Sect.
Senior Brother Li didn't look like a Cultivator but more like a scholarly student.
However, his strength was formidable, and the strongest present should be him.
Xu Yuan's current level of cultivation couldn't even compare.
///140///
The Profligate of the Qionghua Sect Although by their cultivation level, the crowd no longer needed to eat, this did not affect the nobles' craving for culinary pleasures.
Of course,
The food that the group ate could not possibly be the ordinary ingredients consumed by mortals.
It was either some precious medicinal herbs or the succulent flesh of Demonic Beasts.
They started at Third Grade.
These precious ingredients had all been stolen by Bai Fan from his own Sect Master father.
Besides the ingredients, there was the fine wine.
It was a type of exquisite liquor called "Origin Immortal Brew," the wine fluid was vermillion red, and the fragrance overflowed with surging Origin Qi.
Of course,
This fine thing was also stolen by Bai Fan.
With the beginning of the welcoming banquet, Xu Yuan found that the relationships among these noble offspring were even closer than he had anticipated.
Their conversations lacked the respectful rhetoric of "thus" and "therefore," all being casual to the extreme, as if they were dealing with their own siblings.
But as the banquet went on, Xu Yuan figured out the reason for this.
Their family elders or masters were all high-ranking members of the same faction within the Qionghua Sect, which is why they almost all grew up together from a young age.
However, Jing He and "Tianyan" were somewhat unique.
They were both orphaned, as their common master had perished early while out searching for a certain medicinal herb.
After the third round of wine and the fifth course,
The dishes on the banquet table were almost finished, and the people there became even more relaxed.
That profligate son named Tang Jiuqing unreservedly called a few courtesans to join them.
And the few "childhood friends" didn't find it strange, clustering around Tianyan, chatting away about various trivial matters.
Tianyan's golden eyes sparkled as he coped quite easily, managing to extract a lot of information effortlessly.
As for Xu Yuan, things weren't going as well on his end.
Two people had toppled over at the banquet table, one was the host Bai Fan, and the other was Xu Yuan.
Side by side, they lay sprawled across the banquet table in neat order.
As someone who never participated in social gatherings, Xu Yuan naturally became a prime target for special attention.
And the reason Bai Fan was drunk, was completely because halfway through the banquet, this second-generation rich playboy tried to discreetly use his cultivation technique to sober up, but his attempt was discovered.
With Bai Fan and Xu Yuan lying down, the topic of conversation gradually returned to the main character of this welcoming banquet.
The group of prodigal sons asked one after another about Brother Li's experiences during his external adventuring.
After all, Brother Li was only a few years older than them, and soon they too would be kicked out by their elders to wander the world outside this Secret Realm.
Brother Li spoke with a steady voice and was quite talkative, vividly recounting many interesting sights and scenes from the journey.
Stories of demon cult seductresses and the emergence of Spiritual Treasures captured the prodigal sons' imaginations and made their hearts long for adventure.
Although they were of noble birth, they had always lived within this Secret Realm.
They lived here, cultivated here, and under the shelter of their parents and elders, they had never gone out to see the wider world.
Hearing of these exploits, they couldn't wait to embark on their own external adventures.
Suddenly,
One of them asked a question:
"Right, Brother Li, what were you doing going to Qionglu Hall as soon as you returned?"
"…"
Upon hearing this question, Brother Li hesitated for the first time and did not immediately answer, his eyes betraying a hint of hesitation.
After a while,
He spoke up:
"That matter…
I am afraid I cannot tell you for now."
This refusal immediately caused dissatisfaction among the group of prodigal sons.
"Come on, Brother Li, why can't you tell us?"
"Yeah, what is there that we can't speak openly about among us?"
"Even if it's a secret, we will eventually come to know it."
"Worst comes to worst, we can just go directly to Qionglu Hall and ask the elders."
"…."
Hearing his younger brothers and sisters pressing him with one argument after another, Brother Li looked helpless but still revealed a bit of the inside story:
"During my external adventuring, I chanced upon a Spirit Plant, a plant that could at least revitalize our Qionghua Sect for another thousand years."
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Speaking of which, Brother Li's lips curved slightly upwards, "Alright, besides that, I really can't reveal anything else.
If you're so eager to know, go ask the Sect Master yourself."
Upon hearing this, the crowd exploded into a commotion.
"Spirit Plant?"
"What Spirit Plant could make our Qionghua flourish again for a thousand years?"
"The White Soul Fruit?
Or the Immortal Zizyphus Lotus?"
"Liu Fengyue, are you daft?
Neither of these Spirit Plants corresponds with our Qionghua Sect's Cultivation Techniques.
Brother Li mentioned prospering for a thousand years; it must be between the Imperial Soul Tree and the Enchantress Divine Sakura Tree."
"If it's the Imperial Soul Tree, that wouldn't be too bad.
After all, that thing doesn't have much use for our cultivation."
"So, it's the Enchantress Divine Sakura Tree?
The treasures from top to bottom of such a divine tree are vastly beneficial to our Cultivation Techniques."
Beneficial to their understanding, it took only a few words for the crowd to narrow down the Spirit Plant to the Enchantress Divine Sakura Tree.
Then, everyone turned their gaze expectantly towards Brother Li.
Brother Li did not speak but wore a smile that almost amounted to a confirmation.
Seeing this, various heirs of wealthy families in attendance showed more or less genuine surprise on their faces.
After all, there might not be anyone in the world who feels a greater sense of belonging to the Qionghua Sect than them.
After listening attentively to everyone, the already "inebriated" Xu Yuan quietly opened his eyes and glanced sideways…
Then,
he just so happened to meet the eyes of that distinguished heir, Bai Fan.
When their eyes met, both "drunk" individuals felt somewhat embarrassed.
After a moment,
Bai Fan winked at Xu Yuan and subtly gave him a thumbs-up.
Xu Yuan smacked his lips, returned the thumbs-up to him, and then quietly closed his eyes again.
Half an hour later,
outside the entrance of Haiwei Residence,
A reunion feast with old friends, after nearly two hours, was coming to an end.
A group of eleven people stood at the entrance of Haiwei Residence, and the bystanders retreated upon seeing them.
Most of the people in the marketplace at the base of the mountain were disciples of the Qionghua Sect, and who didn't know about this group of heirs within the Sect?
The mountain breeze felt slightly cool on their skin, but Xu Yuan had no intention of sobering up.
As Tang Jiuqing, supporting Xu Yuan, prepared to hand him over to Tianyan:
"Tianyan, I'll hand Jing He over to…"
"No, thanks."
Tianyan glanced at the utterly drunk Xu Yuan and flatly said:
"He smells too much of alcohol; I don't want to touch him."
Hearing this, the others gently laughed and said nothing more, allowing Tang Jiuqing to continue carrying Xu Yuan.
The group flew back to one of the side peaks in the Qionghua mountain range and landed in front of a courtyard.
Brother Li, laughing, said:
"Tianyan, can you take Jing He now?"
The blue-clad girl named Yun Xi said with a smiling interjection:
"If you don't want him now, Sister Tianyan, I'll just carry Brother Jing He back home tonight~"
"If you want him, he's all yours."
"Really?" The blue-clad girl smiled broadly, ready to take Xu Yuan.
Seeing this, Tianyan huffed softly and laughed as she brushed away the blue-clad girl's hand.
The blue-clad girl wasn't upset and giggled merrily.
Seeing this, Brother Li laughed and said, "It's getting late; we should leave now."
Tianyan received the drunk Xu Yuan, whispering softly:
"Mhm, goodbye."
As everyone turned to leave,
the blue-clad girl Yun Xi's eyes curved:
"Tonight, Sister Tianyan, you must be gentle with Brother Jing He; he's so drunk~"
With that,
amidst laughter, the group of nine left the courtyard….
///141///
Yuchu's Purpose In the deep of night, when all was quiet,
a slender girl supported a man as they crossed the courtyard step by step, arriving at the main house's doorway.
Opening the door, closing the door.
"Thud!"
A muffled sound,
the moment they entered the side room,
Xu Yuan was promptly flung onto the soft large bed by an obviously disgusted Tianyan from a distance of over a dozen meters.
Tianyan stared at Xu Yuan on the bed, who appeared thoroughly inebriated.
Xu Yuan still lay there as if he really was drunk, seemingly lost in his intoxication.
After a few moments of silence,
Xu Yuan let out a soft sigh, rubbed his shoulder that had been hit, and smiled:
"As childhood friends who have grown up relying on each other, I think you could be a little gentler."
Tianyan glanced at him and ignored his chatter, walking over and sitting down at the redwood desk in the center of the room:
"Why did you pretend to be drunk?"
Xu Yuan got up and sat beside Tianyan before replying:
"If I hadn't pretended to be drunk, where would we have stayed tonight?
We're strangers in a strange place, without a single piece of silver on or with us."
Tianyan gave Xu Yuan a look, slightly surprised by his careful consideration, and asked:
"Alright, did you hear what they were saying just now?"
"Naturally," said Xu Yuan.
"What do you think?"
"What do I think?"
Xu Yuan grinned and said, "I think now is the time to ask what you think."
In the future, Tianyan's identity would transform into the spirit of the Enchantress Divine Sakura Tree, and now that the Enchantress Divine Sakura Tree has appeared, according to historical trajectory, she would be refined into a Spirit Charm Creature.
With a dark look on her young face, Tianyan asked:
"Do you have a way to prevent it?"
"Your constitution now is different from Wang Yuchu's back then; if this Illusionary Realm is truly like reality, it shouldn't be your turn."
"The sacrificial transformation into a Spirit Charm Creature doesn't depend on constitution, but on the will-spirit."
"Your will-spirit…"
"Celestial Fates Divine Soul."
"Then there's nothing to be done, if you're refined into a Spirit Charm Creature, I won't have to lift a finger," Xu Yuan could not help but laugh.
Tianyan gazed at him silently with a deep look in her eyes.
After a face-off for a few moments,
Xu Yuan saluted military fashion and said with a chuckle:
"Jokes aside, given our relationship, I obviously couldn't just stand by and watch you be turned into a Spirit Charm Creature.
I will help you."
Tianyan's voice was cold:
"Xu Changtian, don't make it sound so pleasant.
If I were transformed into a Spirit Charm Creature, you wouldn't be able to escape either."
Xu Yuan did not argue against that.
From the chatter of the group of dandies from the previous gathering, one could tell that Jing He had not only high talent in cultivation but also on top of that, he had won the stake in the last competition among the second-generation disciples of the Sects.
If Tianyan were refined into a Spirit Charm Creature, given the life-and-death close relationship between the two, the Sects would definitely not allow such a potentially dangerous and powerful person to live.
To cut the grass, one must remove the roots.
Jing He was probably transformed into the Leech King in this way back in the day.
Beyond that, there was another issue Xu Yuan couldn't overlook.
Ever since entering this Illusionary Realm, there was one thing he had been pondering.
The purpose behind the Enchantress Divine Sakura Tree spirit creating this Illusionary Realm.
Unless one is insane, there's always a logic behind one's actions.
Yuchu's final moments were lucid,
and she had him enter this self-forgetting Illusionary Realm in full awareness for a definite purpose.
Ten thousand years ago, one person turned into a cherry blossom, the other into a leech.
And Xu Yuan, aware of her and Jing He's affairs, was made to enter the realm with clear consciousness—did she want him to change the outcome?
Yuchu, on the verge of death, wouldn't have created such an extraordinary Illusionary Realm just to watch the past events play out again, would she?
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Amidst swirling thoughts, Xu Yuan ultimately let out a soft sigh.
He really did hate enigmatic figures.
After all, hadn't he helped Wang Yuchu fulfill a millennia-old obsession?
Couldn't she have shared more useful information before she self-destructed?
A simple "Thank you,"
A simple "Sorry,"
Who could guess what she was trying to do by pulling him into this situation?
Gathering his thoughts, Xu Yuan said softly,
"Actually, we don't need to worry too much about this matter for the time being.
Wang Yuchu became the spirit embodiment of the Enchantress Divine Sakura Tree after she became a Saintess of the Qionghua Sect, and you are currently just an ordinary second-generation disciple.
We just need to find a way out before that happens."
Tianyan was slightly startled upon hearing this.
She noticed the issue in Xu Yuan's words.
Why…
did this guy know that Wang Yuchu was turned into the spirit embodiment after she became a Saintess?
After a moment of thought,
Tianyan gave Xu Yuan a deep look and, very tacitly, did not ask about this topic, instead changing the subject.
The Qionghua Sect prodigals were basically defenseless against the two of them, and as a result, they managed to extract a lot of useful information during their casual conversations.
The title of Saintess held different statuses in different Sects.
Some Saintesses were only revered in identity, some were responsible for presiding over major sacrificial ceremonies, while others were implicitly the next Sect Heir, similar to the Crown Prince in an Imperial dynasty.
The Saint Heir and Saintess of the Qionghua Sect belonged to the former category, it was merely a symbol of status.
Besides receiving better treatment than other disciples, they did not possess any substantial Sect authority.
However, the position of the Saint Heir of the Qionghua Sect was currently vacant, as the last Saint Heir had died during an expedition two years ago, and it seemed that the Qionghua Sect's upper echelons were not in a hurry to select a new Saint Heir.
So, she and he still had some time.
The two discussed their subsequent plans,
and Xu Yuan suddenly thought of something and said in a low voice,
आसनसोल के विशेषज्ञो ने खोजा, डायबिटीज को जड़ से ख़त्म का तरीका
यह प्रोस्टेटाइटिस और बार-बार पेशाब आने का दुश्मन है
"Tianyan, you must have noticed it."
"Noticed what?" Tianyan asked.
Xu Yuan pointed to the sundial placed in the courtyard and said softly,
"The flow of time in this Illusionary Realm is different from the outside world."
"…"
Tianyan's eyes sharpened slightly at his words, then she came to a realization.
A very simple principle: if the Illusionary Realm synced with the real-time flow, she might already be dead.
Although she had set up the Zhen Yan "Shield" character to protect her body before she fell unconscious in reality, with her soul trapped in the Illusionary Realm, the hours that passed would have been enough for Ran Qingmo to destroy that "Shield" Zhen Yan.
Moreover, she also had to consider the traitor Saint in Xu Yuan's company…
With this thought, Tianyan's train of thought came to an abrupt stop.
Wait a second, the traitor Saint?
Tianyan looked at Xu Yuan with astonishment in her eyes.
Noticing her gaze, Xu Yuan asked with slight surprise,
"What's wrong?"
Tianyan didn't speak, instead pointing to the Soul Ring on his index finger.
"..."
Silence suddenly enveloped them.
From their entrance into the Illusionary Realm to the present, both he and she had overlooked something.
Ran Qingmo wasn't present and was far away, but the Saint's Remnant Soul was on Xu Yuan, yet it didn't enter the Illusionary Realm.
After a long silence, Xu Yuan ventured to ask,
"Tianyan, do you have any idea why the Saint's Remnant Soul was not dragged into this Illusionary Realm?"
The dazzling cherry blossoms that pulled him into this Illusionary Realm clearly targeted the will-spirit.
It made no sense for the Saint's Remnant Soul, being a spirit entity, to be spared such a fate.
After contemplating for a while, Tianyan's melodious voice held a hint of hesitation,
"If it were some other Illusionary Realm, perhaps the methods of that traitor Saint could find a way to escape, but it is practically impossible for the Enchantress Divine Tree's Illusionary Realm, unless…"
She paused for a moment, her gaze towards Xu Yuan filled with a strange expression,
"Unless the Enchantress Divine Tree spirit willingly chose not to pull him in."
"Why?"
"How should I know why?"
"….."
The room fell silent,
with Xu Yuan and Tianyan staring at each other wordlessly.